It was the catastrophic Australian tour when Ol' Blue Eyes got blacked.

Following uncomplimentary comparisons about the press to hookers, unions led by future Oz PM Bob Hawke trapped the crooner in his hotel.

It was up to his promoter to sweet talk the militant Bruces and Sheilas into allowing Frank out of the hotel and a country fizzing with perceived Yankee slights.

Director Paul Goldman attempts - with a fair degree of success - to work those bizarre events into a comedy drama.

Hopper as Sinatra - with Tom Burlinson providing spot-on vocals - plays the singer as an arrogant Little Hitler used to getting things his own way.

His run-in with the Australian unions is seen through the eyes struggling rock promoter Rod Blue (Edgerton), who's wangled control of Frank's tour after pitching up in LA.

However, Sinatra's mid-concert strop with "two dollar hooker" hackette Hilary Hunter (Di Rossi) provokes the unions onto the picket line.

Trapped in his luxury penthouse, it's up to Rod - who's having girlfriend problems of his own - to broker a deal between Frank's people and the 114 striking unions.

Although Goldman struggles to provide enough meat for a decent yarn, likeable performances from Edgerton, Hopper and Griffith go some way to salvaging things.

It's a tale worth telling...but won't have them selling out the local multiplexes.

Tim Evans